Tokyo area gets first November dusting of snow in 54 years

Tokyo area gets first November dusting of snow in 54 years

Snow fell in Tokyo and other parts of eastern Japan on Thursday, with the capital recording its first November snowfall since 1875 when the government started collecting records.

The snowfall, while only listed in Tokyo as a “small accumulation” disrupted traffic and spiked electricity demand. Injuries were also reported in Tokyo and surrounding prefectures, including people who slipped on snowy roads and suffered fractured bones, according to firefighters and other authorities.

East Japan Railway Co. said services on parts of the Ome and Chuo lines were suspended as snow-laden tree branches sagged over the tracks. Trains on other lines, such as Seibu and Keio, as well as subway systems in Tokyo also experienced delays, operators said.

On Thursday morning, electricity consumption spiked to 95 percent of capacity due to rising demand for heating, according to Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.

Temperatures in the capital and neighboring areas fell to near zero Thursday morning, a level rarely seen in late November.

Snowfall began at 6:15 a.m. in central Tokyo, 40 days earlier than average. Other cities such as Yokohama and Utsunomiya also saw the season’s first snowfall around 20 to 40 days earlier than average. read more at japantimes.co.jp